Demons from the past
by A. Duran
Summary: "What do you think you're doing Setsuna?" The mercenary shows herself by jumping from the tree she was sitting. It crosses your mind that maybe she was expecting you. "Your ojousama will be quite disappointed if she finds out." "When she finds out."...
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Mahou Sensei Negima nor its characters.

**Prologue**

**The one with the wings **

You look back over your shoulder when you know you should not, but you also know that would be impossible for you to keep running - or jumping over the trees - to the old gates of Mahora Academy if you didn't. It feels like saying goodbye without having to say it with words.

The sun is showering you with its warm glow in the horizon and it feels like it's the first time it does it... for you probably is - at least the first time you actually paid attention to such daily event – as you believe that never before you had the patience to stop and watch as it grows bigger and warmer in the far away horizon.

You're still wearing the Mahora uniform, but only so in case if someone sees you they won't notice that you're leaving... and you're carrying only a backpack and Yuunagi on you, there is a change of clothes inside your backpack for when you leave town. You slow down your fast jumping-on-the-trees pace as you feel a presence not so far from you.

You _know_ she would be there.

You _hoped_ that she would.

You stop, only a few meters from the gates that will set you free from this magic school.

"What do you think you're doing Setsuna?"

The mercenary shows herself by jumping from the tree she was sitting. It crosses your mind that maybe she was expecting you.

"It doesn't suit you to run away from your duty." She doesn't wait for a reply. She doesn't need one.

"_Your_ ojousama will be quite disappointed _if _she finds out." She teases raising one eyebrow and looking at you expectantly.

"_When _she finds out." You don't bother to look annoyed by the _your _as you don't think you can, or want to talk about this subject anymore. You have thought about it too much lately.

"So you're simply running away?" She asks, but it sounds as she is affirming it, and you know you should correct her by saying that you're not running away, that you just need time to get stronger - not only physically but also mentally- but you know that it doesn't matter to her.

It never did.

She knows you better then almost anyone and to try and convince her that you have honorable reasons instead of a reasonable excuse it's not worth your time or hers.

"I have something for you… and a favor to ask." You take a letter and an envelope from the breast pocket of your white Mahora uniform and hand it to her. "The envelope is yours, the letter is for Konoemom."

"What about _her_?" She asks as she takes both and opens the envelope.

She doesn't bother to wait you leave before opening it.

You knew she wouldn't.

"That's why I have a favor to ask." She doesn't look surprised as she finds a considerable amount of money inside the envelope. She probably understand now why is that you're asking her a favor.

"That's enough for a year, maybe more you know? How did you get this money?" She's curious, of course, when it comes about money she's always curious, but you're getting tired of this conversation.

"Doesn't matter. Just do it for me, I'll keep in touch so I can keep paying you for the job." You say and start walking away from her, away from this place.

You don't bother to look back.

You've _said_ your goodbye before.

"I could advise you to don't do anything stupid Setsuna... but you're already doing it. You know that leaving won't change your feelings neither who you are."

"Who said I'm capable of _changing _then…" You respond in this low voice, barely audible. It doesn't matter if she heard you or not.

You know by now that to try to forget or change your feelings is a waste of time. To change who you are is simply impossible.

You've tried enough.

The gates are ten meters away from you when she speaks again.

The last time before you jump over them and leave.

"Whatever it is you think you must do Setsuna… don't ever forget why you're doing it."


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Mahou Sensei Negima nor its characters.

**AN: **It's been a while since I last read or watched negima so bare with me in any case of OOC-ness. Also english is not my first language and I don't have a "beta" so there might be awful mistakes.

The story happens before the Mahora festival and I'm cutting a lot of things that should happen if this was the original story.

With that being said I wish you a pleasant reading.

**Chapter 1**

**The lone wolf and the free bird**

_You're finally free. _

Is the first thought that cross your mind as you walk by the outside gates of Mahora Academy.

_And still… you're in chains. _A voice in the back of your mind says with a bitter laugh.

Of course you are, you couldn't escape your emotions nor your feelings even if you wanted to. You're leaving this place because of them.

You've come to the conclusion that by leaving the only place that makes you feel at home you would be able to think properly or to think for yourself and not for the others. You would be able to fully comprehend your duty and your place in the world. It's not going to be easy and you know it.

As you walk away you feel this strange presence near the school grounds and it's not Mana.

It's a demon.

Just outside the barrier, a strong and dangerous one. You know the Security Patrol inside de school is more than just able to stop it, as they could kill it easily enough if needed to, but this one demon feels different. Somehow it can hide its presence very well and you know that if it goes inside the forest far enough from the Tatsumiya shrine it _will_ go unnoticed.

Damn.

Without thinking twice you run and jump fast and as never a simple human would be able to in the direction of the presence to get there before it enters the school grounds only to stop abruptly in the middle of the way because of a young man.

You're shocked.

Not because of his looks - of course not - but for you weren't able to feel his presence till now. He is using _chi _just like you use it - to create this façade of human appearance - so it's obvious that he is a half-demon just as you are.

For a second you're apprehensive.

What to do? Go and kill a powerful demon or stay and try to discover what brings another _hanyou _into this magic place?

It's when you hear a loud and sharp scream - a _demon _scream - that you wake you from your dilemma and you look at him one last time before running in the demon direction again.

You know it's stupid to try taking a demon as this one alone but you feel that you have no choice. As you get closer to the place it is located you realize that you can now feel the young man presence coming closer too. You don't know if you should be grateful or afraid.

The demon finally notices you when you're about 10 meters away from it. He doesn't look quite happy to see that someone found him about to enter the school grounds. You throw your backpack to the nearest wall and put on a defensive stance, it would be fool of you to attack first without knowing his intentions. He looks at you for a second then a smile appears in its hideous face.

"That's a cute stance kid, now why don't you let the big boy here alone huh?"

Shit.

He can talk.

Not all demons can talk, only the ones that are quite strong or smart enough. This one is probably strong.

"Leave." You don't want to talk, you need to leave and this stupid demon is making you waste you time on this even more stupid conversation.

"Or what? You're 'gonna' tickle me with your stick? No, _you_ leave, kid." He smiles at you showing his ugly and fake happy face, winks an eye and turns in the direction of the wall as if getting ready to jump.

You jump in his direction with amazing speed and cut his back with Yuunagi. It wasn't suppose to hurt much, but when he doesn't even flinch you get a little bit enrage.

"Fool child. I fight you if that's what you so wish for. But don't be stupid to think that I won't kill you if I have to." He turns to you with anger and hunger in his eyes.

So the cut hurt.

You smile and draw Yuunagi closer to your body, ready for his first attack.

"Don't _you_ be such a fool to think that you would be able to kill me." He snarls, and faster then you though he could be, attacks you with its claws. You dodge, punch after punch, kick after kick but he _is _fast and some of his attacks are managing to hurt you. You feel weak, he's not suppose to be able to lay a claw on you, something is definitely wrong with you and that makes you angry. You didn't need nor want to fight another demon for the old reasons again... just to _protect_ her... but you realize that by not wanting to fight for this reason you lack power or _inspiration_ to keep fighting, to keep stoping his advances. He pierces you in the shoulder you bleed and fall, he kicks you in the abdomen you gasp and roll.

Damn.

When did you start losing this fight again?

He laughs.

"Stupid kid. I told you not to mess with me." He start walking again in the direction of the wall, you get up - too fast so you expect to fell dizzy in no time - and you cut his head of.

Simple like that.

But you know you were able to do that only because you didn't want to admit that with the old reasons you have no reason to keep fighting. No reason to live.

"Told you wouldn't kill me." You say, barely a whisper. "Not yet anyway, not yet." You fall to the ground tired and that was far from the hardest fight in your life. He was far from being the strongest demon you have faced. Probably the most stupid, but definitely not the strongest. You feel dizzy, too much dizzy for your liking. You're going to pass out and you know it, but why? Why your heart hurts so much, why do you feel so lost?

The last thing you see is the face of that strange young man as he takes you in his arms and says that you're going to be okay.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Mahou Sensei Negima nor its characters.

**AN: **I'll be changing the POV from time to time, but only **one** POV in each chapter...  
I'll try my best to not make you confuse while reading but, just in case, let me know if something bothers you ok?  
Also reviews are always welcome. =]  
Hope you guys like it.

**Chapter 2: The one with the heart**

You could tell that something was bothering her. You were always able to notice her emotions even thought she had this great façade. The always strong, concentrated and determinate swordswoman was also a human being.

Maybe it was only after Kyoto that you realize it that she hasn't forgot about you.

Maybe she realized it that she hasn't forgot about you either.

It was probably a week after Kyoto that you notice how strange she started to act. Not only around you, but definitely even more when she was in your presence. At first you dismissed such strangeness as she being nervous around your carefree personality, your soft teasing and, of course, as being around you much more – and much closer – than before. But you realized that she wasn't doing it on purpose as it become clear to you that everyone – except you – were not able to see trough her strong walls. It saddened you that she was in pain – because what you could see in her eyes was definitely pain – and you could do nothing about it.

She is the _strong _and_ proud _swordswoman after all… she would not come to you for help as her principles and her position as your bodyguard would beat her conscience into believing that she needs to know her place in this relationship. That she is _just _your protector. It always hurt you to think that she's stubborn to the point of not seeing that you want to be close to her not only because she's suppose to make you safe… but also because you care for her as a best friend. Your first friend.

Almost a month later you decided to talk to her. Maybe, only maybe you could relief some of that pain. Maybe you were expecting too much from just one conversation.

"What is it that you wish to talk about ojou-sama?" You asked her to come by the pools – often used as a bath house – at night because you knew that all the girls would be in their dorm rooms and so no one would bother you. You told Asuna were you are. Didn't want her to be worried in case she didn't find you at the dorm.

The swordswoman walks in your direction and stops near the main pool, also close to the bench you're sitting on. She stands by your side with Yuunagi on her shoulder and a tired look on her face.

"Yes. Hum… Set-chan is… is something wrong?" You ask a little bit nervous about how to make her open up and not to deny everything. You didn't even make a remark about the _ojou-sama_.

"Something… wrong?" She repeats your question looking confused and worried for a second.

"I mean that if is there something wrong with you… I can tell that you're not quite… _normal_ these days." You try your best to not scare her, but her worried expression comes back, along with a disappointed spark.

_Are you disappointed with me or with yourself Set-chan?_

"I'm fine ojou-sama." She smiles. "I've been training a lot these days… that must be it." You don't buy it. That was not _her_ smile. It was a bad faked one.

"Are you sure?" She looks at you quizzically for a second.

_God she's__ dense._

"Are you sure you're fine?" You ask again… "You know you can trust me to help you with whatever it is Set-chan…" And complete your sentence in a low voice almost scared that she would take it as a tease and not truth, but you just see more pain flashing trough her eyes.

She gives a quiet and sad laugh before answering.

"I'm ok ojou-sama, probably just tired. Forgive me if I made you worried, but there is no reason for that." She looks deeply in your eyes before looking at the pool. Her face almost completely a mask.

"It's late. You should go back to your dorm room ojou-sama." She looks at you again, her eyes briefly meeting yours before looking at the back door from the pool/bath house. "I shall escort you."

And you're incapable of doing anything other than just letting her walk you to your dorm. You feel numb.

_She's closing her heart from everyone… including me? _

While you're walking to your dorm room you can not avoid thinking about this question you want so much to ask. But you're afraid. Afraid that she won't want to be your friend anymore if you keep pushing her. Afraid that she will get tired of being your friend.

Afraid of the answer you could receive.

A month after your conversation you start to get really worried about her. She's been eating less, sleeping less, talking less. She looks weak… not enough for the others from 3A to notice but enough for you. She's been training like never before and doing more patrols too, it have become almost impossible to spend time with her.

You're confused now.

Shouldn't the conversation you had with her easy her pain?

She acts like nothing has happened, but you get the feeling that she's hiding something. Maybe hiding from someone_. Maybe hiding from you._

It would be a lie if you say that you can understand her feelings but you know that there is something about her that she doesn't want you to know. And you simply can't see.

You're caught by surprise when Mana comes and tell you that she left. The mercenary is a scary figure – just like you think Set-chan should look in the eyes of others – but she actually is quite gentle as she tells you such unbelievable news.

She does not tells you why thought, although she tells you that your protector needed some time to think.

"She will come back. She's not _that_ stupid."

She leaves you alone and you can't help but cry.

You tell Asuna a couple days latter. You've been quiet those couple days so you could think about the situation clearly. People were starting to get worried about you. Even Eva-chan was looking at you strangely. So you had to do something… and you did.

After thinking it trough you realized how childish you were acting, how naïve you were to think that Set-chan just needed some signal that you cared about her. Just a conversation with no understanding of her real situation at all.

You need to grow up, so you can help people the way you could not help Set-chan.

You need to become stronger in order to protect the ones you love the way Set-chan always protected you.

You come to Eva for training.

So you can stop being the girl that _fears_ everything and start being the girl that is _respected_ by everything.


End file.
